ARMY OFFICIALS WEIGH REDUCING UP TO 90,000 ACTIVE DUTY SOLDIERS
With the ongoing budget cuts, the US Army is also considering cutting about 90,000 Soldiers from its active-duty force.
This is because Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered each branch of the armed services to make changes to the budget each year for the coming years due to presidential priorities. That said, the US Army reduction is going to be the largest cut in years.
Why Is the Army Considering Force Reductions?
Since Trump’s administration is making budget cuts, and the Pentagon has changed its strategy away from counter operations, the US Army is considering reducing active-duty forces by about 90,000 troops so that the current administration can save money and focus on different areas of military needs in the future.
Currently, the US Army has 450,000 active-duty troops, where the cuts should be around 360,000 and 420,000.
"If we reduce the force without a clear retention strategy, we risk losing talented people who have other options," an official said in a statement.
Even though the idea is to make the US Army smaller and better prepared for future combat, there are a lot of troops that are going to be removed from positions with the cuts being considered.
The problem would also be having difficulty recruiting more troops if others aren’t effective anymore.
How Likely Are These Cuts to Happen?
With Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth having ordered the military to make budget cuts of 8%, he also wants to stop certain programs that the current administration doesn’t agree with. But those alone won’t save enough money; therefore, they are considering cutting Soldiers instead.
The US Army reduction hasn’t been specifically addressed yet, such as how or where they’ll make the cuts or if the decision has been made yet. Regardless, concerns have been raised as this will make it hard to recruit new Soldiers.
"One of the largest billpayers in resourcing the strategy of denial should be the Army. This is because the size of the Army's large-scale land maneuver forces is principally scaled to the threat of Russian invasion of NATO territory," Austin Dahmer, a former national security adviser to Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., wrote in the white paper.
When Could These Changes Take Place?
The US Army is currently doing missions in Africa and the Middle East, and it’s getting ready to deal with China in Asia. It's also helping defend Europe. With this, no final decision has been made yet since the troops are very occupied with the current missions.
If the Army reduced the size of its active-duty force by the estimates under consideration, it could be far more dramatic than the announced plan to reduce the size of the force by about 24,000 last year.
"We are building more combat power while reducing staff and overhead. End Strength might even go up," Army spokesperson Cynthia Smith said in a statement. "This is going to be a leaner, more lethal, and larger Army."
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking from NATO headquarters in Brussels, said that according to President Donald Trump, Europe must step up.
"He’s against a NATO that lacks the capabilities needed to fulfill its obligations," Rubio said. "This is a hard truth, but one that must be addressed."
What Do These Cuts Mean for Service Members?
With them making US Army budget cuts, it can be risky, but because of the orders, they have to make amends.
If the consideration is to make a final decision, and it is to cut troops, it would mean a big change to the people who serve. Several people might lose their jobs, especially if their role is no longer needed, and some might be moved to different roles, and learn something new that is out of their skills, which can also be hard for them.
If the cuts continue, there will be fewer people. Those who stay might have to work more or be sent to more missions. Regardless, the US Army reduction can make the troops unsure and worried about what’s to come for them in the Army.
Read next:
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